HDR recently introduced three redevelopment concepts for Harbor Island in Grand Haven, Michigan, which will provide recreational activities at the former industrial site. The company also conducts environmental analysis of the site to determine appropriate remedial work before redevelopment begins.
The company’s concepts propose a mix of activities for the site, including nature trails, river walks, event spaces and art exhibits that would exist alongside the island’s solar arrays and natural wetlands. They were developed after a series of “vision sessions” that sought public feedback and ideas about what should be done with the site.
“We want to balance what the community wants with what we can do scientifically,” says Lara Zawaideh, HDR project manager and business development leader for Michigan. Project challenges will include the island’s location near the Grand River and changes in water levels and flow dynamics. The initial phase concepts “are now with the public to review and consider as we continue our work on the next steps to address remediation,” he added.
“We see climate action not only as necessary, but also as an opportunity, as an investment that will create a ripple effect for business opportunities.”
-Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate Action
For more than 100 years, the island was a site for industrial activity and waste disposal, serving as the city’s landfill and housing the JB Simms coal-fired power station from the 1960s until it closed in 2020. Both perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and coal ash have been detected in their groundwater.
HDR has been examining the levels and extent of coal ash and PFAS contamination through groundwater testing and data analysis. It is moving the site through state and federal regulatory review processes and is now offering cleanup solutions. “A primary strategy will be to contain the contaminated plume to reduce groundwater discharge to surface water,” says Zawaideh. Work on this portion of the project began in 2022 with HDR and subcontractors WSP and Western Michigan University.
“Funding is another constraint,” says Zawaideh, but HDR is working with local government to find innovative solutions. The cost so far is $1.8 million. Major rehabilitation is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2026, with redevelopment scheduled for 2028-2033.
